Number of injuries
The ultimate outcome of our work is your safety, and this headline measure records the trend in injury rates to the public in domestic dwelling fires (BVPI 143ii), and also in injury rates to our firefighters. Thankfully, both already compare extremely well with other fire and rescue services, but our target will be to continually drive down the number of such injuries.
Economic Cost of Fire
Using national research gathered over a long time period, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now the Department for Communities and Local Government) has calculated the overall costs to the economy of different types of fires. By applying this research, we are able, for the first time, to make an accurate assessment of the economic damage that fire causes in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, and to monitor this cost over time. This is a new measure, but we can apply it to past information to provide a benchmark for current and future performance. Our target will again be one of continuous improvement, in driving down the cost of fire to the local economy and environment.
Key Performance Indicators
Frontline service delivery: Prevention
KPI 1: Number of Home Fire Risk Checks made
Aim
To drive down the number of people killed or injured in domestic dwelling fires.
What will be measured
The number of Home Fire Risk Checks made.
How this will be measured
Returns collated by the Community Safety Team.
Target
By 2010, to reduce the number of deaths in accidental dwelling fires by 20 per cent from the 2001 baseline.
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KPI 2: Number of Home Fire Risk Checks made for vulnerable groups
Aim
To target support to those groups in community identified as being at highest risk from fire.
What will be measured
The number of Home Fire Risk Checks delivered to
- People over 65 years of age
- People living in economically deprived areas.
- People living in housing stock identified as having higher than average risk.
How this will be measured
Returns collated by the Community Safety Team.
Target
By 2010, to reduce the number of deaths in accidental dwelling fires by 20 per cent from the 2001 baseline.
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KPI 3: Reducing arson fires
Aim
To drive down the number of arson fires.
What will be measured
The incidence of fires defined as primary, secondary or vehicle arson.
How this will be measured
Returns collated by the Community Safety Team.
Target
A 15 per cent reduction in each of the specified arson classes.
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KPI 4: Reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on the road
Aim
To collaborate with partners in the Local Public Service Agreement, to jointly reduce deaths and injuries on the roads. Specifically, we will increase participation in joint prevention activity, extrication displays and restorative justice interventions with young drivers.
What will be measured
The existing Best Value Performance Indicator BV99.
How this will be measured
BV99 is currently collated and reported by local authority highways and transport departments. We will incorporate their published results into our performance reporting system.
Target
By 2010, to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads by 40 per cent, compared to the average for 1994-1998.
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Frontline service delivery: Protection
KPI 5: Reducing the number of high risk non-domestic premises
Aim
To drive down the number of premises identified as posing a high risk of fire
What will be measured
The number of premises identified by Protection codes B, F & J, divided by the total number of premises recorded by the Fire Safety Team
How this will be measured
Returns collated by the Fire Safety Team
Target
As this is a new performance indicator, we will use 2006-07 to collect baseline evidence for future target setting. We will also compare this year’s performance with the previous year, to ensure continuous improvement.
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KPI 6: The cost of fire in non-domestic premises
Aim
To measure the outcome of Fire Protection work in terms of the cost of fire to the local economy
What will be measured
The cost of fire in non-domestic premises
How this will be measured
The formulas provided in the Government report The Economic Cost of Fire will be applied to local fire statistics.
Target
Again, this is a new performance indicator, so we will use 2006-07 to collect baseline evidence for future target setting. We will also compare this year’s performance with the previous year, to ensure continuous improvement.
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KPI 7: Compliance with the Regulatory Reform Order
Aim
To measure the rate at which local organisations are adopting the requirements of new fire safety legislation
What will be measured
Surveys of local organisations have been carried out over several years on our behalf. We will compare the ongoing results of these surveys, and target our support accordingly
How this will be measured
Returns collated by the Fire Safety Team.
Target
Again, this is a new performance indicator, so we will use 2006-07 to collect baseline evidence for future target setting. We will also compare this year’s performance with the previous year to ensure continuous improvement.
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KPI 8: Unwanted fire signals
Aim
To reduce the number of unwanted fire signals (automatic fire alarms going off when there is no fire)
What will be measured
The existing Best Value Performance Indicator BV149.
How this will be measured
BV149 is currently collated in accordance with government requirements.
Target
To reduce the number of unwanted fire signals from the top 50 worst offending premises by five per cent.
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Frontline service delivery: Response
KPI 9: Attendance times
This indicator is designed to ensure that Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority is meeting its statutory duties, in terms of attendance at emergency incidents.
Aim
To ensure that the attendance standards set by Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority are met and, over time, to enable identification of any areas where the standards are unachievable.
In the short term this will allow Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service to target prevention resources to reduce overall risk where possible.
In the long term this will allow Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority to consider possible changes to the service to improve response where standards cannot be met. This might include relocation of resources or changes to working patterns in order to achieve a faster response.
What will be measured
The percentage of incidents at which attendance times met Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s standards of fire cover.
How this will be measured
Using the recorded times maintained on Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s Command and Control system, the difference between the initial call time and the time in attendance for the first appliance will be measured and will be considered as the attendance time for that incident. Attendance times for all incident types will be measured but the standards currently under review will concentrate on incidents where a risk to life exists.
Target
To continue to meet the national standards of fire cover detailed in the 1947 Fire Services Act until such time as new local standards are approved by Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority.
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KPI 10: Appliance riders
This indicator is designed to ensure that appliances responding to emergency incidents within the BMKFA area do so with sufficient riders to meet normal working practices where possible. This is similar to BV145ii.
Aim
To ensure that when appliances attend emergencies within the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority area that they do so with sufficient personnel to properly discharge the authorities obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act, to ensure that personnel are able to conform to standard operating procedures and to ensure that the requirements of Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s Incident Command structure can be met.
What will be measured
The percentage of incidents at which the number of riders met Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s standards of fire cover.
How this will be measured
Using the statistics maintained on Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s Command and Control system, the number of riders on the first and subsequent appliances will be measured.
Target
On 85 per cent of occasions, the first fire appliance in attendance at an emergency incident will have a minimum of five riders, and the second and subsequent appliances will have a minimum of four riders.
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KPI 11: Appliance availability
This indicator is designed to measure the amount of time appliances are available throughout a given period and will take into account unavailability for all planned and unforeseen circumstances.
Aim
To ensure that the amount of time appliances spend unavailable is kept to a minimum. The KPI will not exclude any circumstances for unavailability. This means that appliances that are unavailable for any of the reasons listed below will be considered and the result will be a measure of the overall availability of Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s appliances.
- Training
- Mechanical breakdown
- Vehicle changeover
- Lack of crew
By placing a target on appliance availability we can focus all stakeholders within the organisation on the need to reduce vehicle downtime as much as is feasibly possible.
What will be measured
The amount of time appliances are unavailable. This will be measured according to callsign and will include unavailability for any reason.
How this will be measured
Appliances booking available or non-available will be recorded and a percentage measure will be used to identify the amount of time each appliance spent available over a given period. The total time available for all appliances will then be used as the indicator against the total time for the given period for Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s rescue pumps and water tenders.
Target
For the year 2006/07, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s rescue pumps and water tenders will be available for 95 per cent of the time.
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KPI 12: Road traffic collision extrication times
Road traffic collisions constitute an increasingly large proportion of the emergency incidents being attended by Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service. Indeed, the majority of the deaths and injuries which occur each year in the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority area where a Fire Service attendance is made are attributable to road traffic collisions. Significantly, more than 60 per cent of the deaths and injuries at incidents we attend occur at less than 20 per cent of the total number incidents. However, it was only with the introduction of the 2004 Fire & Rescue Service Act (Section 8) that we were given a statutory duty to respond to road traffic collisions, and there are, as yet, no national performance indicators for this work. Consequently, we have researched and developed a local performance indicator that we believe will help us provide focus in this critical life-saving activity.
Aim
This indicator is designed to measure the time taken to extricate casualties trapped in road traffic collisions, and is intended to give a measure of current performance to ensure that the skills and equipment developments that are taking place with regard to RTCsroad traffic collisions are continuing to provide improvement and value to the residents of Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes and those that are travelling through.
Statistics have proven that the time taken to get casualties who are suffering trauma as a result of road traffic collisions to definitive care can have significant impact upon survival rates. By targeting the time taken to extricate casualties from RTC’s we can ensure that as much time as possible is available for interim treatment and removal to hospital.
What will be measured
At all road traffic collision incidents where there are ‘persons trapped’ we will record the time at which the first appliance books in attendance and the time that the last casualty is extricated. The difference between these two times will be considered as the RTC extrication time.
How this will be measured
Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service Command and Control will ensure that for all 'road traffic collisions – persons trapped' incidents, the time in attendance for the first appliance and the time at which the 'all persons extricated' or 'stop' message is received are recorded.
Target
The extrication time for persons trapped as a result of RTC’s will be less than 30 minutes for 95 per cent of incidents.
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Essential service support: Governance
KPI 13: The percentage of undisputed invoices which were paid in 30 days – BV8
Aim
To ensure that Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority pays all undisputed invoices for commercial goods and services to external contractors and suppliers within 30 days of receipt during the financial year.
What will be measured
The total number of undisputed invoices paid within 30 days as a percentage of the total number of invoices paid.
How this will be measured
Through monthly reporting
Target
For the year 2006/7, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority aims to pay 93 per cent of undisputed invoices within 30 days.
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KPI 14: Information Systems fault repair time
Aim
This indicator is designed to ensure that Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority maintains the operating efficiency of the IT systems across the organisation.
What will be measured
The number of faults recorded and the time taken to rectify.
How this will be measured
Monthly report from the Information Systems faults database.
Target
A target will be developed during the year.
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KPI 15: Fleet availability
Aim
This indicator is designed to ensure that Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority’s fleet of vehicles are efficiently maintained.
What will be measured
The percentage availability of vehicles broken down into various categories (for example front-line operational vehicles, officers’ cars).
How this will be measured
This will be measured on the first day of each month.
Target
The average target across the various categories of fleet vehicles for 2006/7 will be 85 per cent.
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KPI 16: Maintenance of Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s premises
Aim
To ensure that all premises are suitably maintained to be fit for purpose in line with current Health, Safety and Welfare regulations.
What will be measured
The number of defects recorded through Property, Assets and Consultancy Services, measuring time and cost to undertake remedial works.
How this will be measured
Monthly reporting
Target
Urgent defects to be resolved within three days, and non-urgent defects to be resolved within 30 days
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Essential service support: Personnel
KPI 17: Wholetime and Retained strength as a percentage of establishment – HRF 1 & 2
Aim
This indicator is designed to ensure that Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority is adequately staffed to meet its statutory duties, in terms of attendance to emergency incidents, under the 2004 Fire and Rescue Services Act.
What will be measured
Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s actual operational staffing strength against its agreed operational establishment.
How this will be measured
Monthly Crystal query from the Snowdrop HR system.
Target
Wholetime staff – 98 to 102 per cent.
Retained staff – 82 per cent rising progressively to 90 per cent by quarter two 2007-08.
Control staff – 90 per cent.
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KPI 18: Sickness Levels – BVPI 12(i) & (ii)
Aim
This indicator is designed to ensure that Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority is adequately staffed.
What will be measured
(i) Proportion of working days/shifts lost to sickness absence by wholetime uniformed staff
(ii) Proportion of working days/shifts lost to sickness absence by all staff
How this will be measured
Monthly Crystal query from Snowdrop HR system
Target
BV12(i) – 5.9 shifts per person per year or less
BV12(ii) – 5.8 shifts per person per year or less
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KPI 19: Succession planning
Aim
To ensure that Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority is developing a suitable pool of staff with the potential for promotion to maintain appliance availability.
What will be measured
The percentage of staff who have entered the Crew or Watch Manager Development Programme who are awaiting a placement posting.
How this will be measured
Quarterly return from Training Manager.
Target
(i) Between four and seven per cent of wholetime Firefighters to have started the Crew Managers Development Programme and awaiting a placement posting.
(ii) Between 15 and 20 per cent of wholetime Crew Managers to have started the Watch Manager Development Programme and awaiting a placement posting.
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KPI 20: Incident Command
Aim
To ensure that appropriate training is provided in Incident Command to ensure safe systems of work at operational incidents.
What will be measured
The level of compliance with established safe systems of work in relation to Incident Command.
How this will be measured
A reporting process will be developed during the year.
Target
Targets will be developed during the year.
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KPI 21: Training delivery
Aim
This indicator is designed to ensure that Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority is providing sufficient operational training for its staff
What will be measured
(i) Percentage of planned training courses delivered to Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service.
(ii) Percentage of available places on courses actually taken up by staff.
How this will be measured
Quarterly report by Training Centre Manager
Target
(i) 95 per cent of all operational skills courses that are programmed at the start of the training year are delivered.
(ii) 75 per cent of available training places are taken up by appropriate staff.
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